hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: A system administrator configured the sudoers…
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. ``` $ cat /etc/sudoers.d/admin %admin ALL=(ALL) ALL Defaults:admin !authenticate ```
A system administrator configured the sudoers file as shown. What is the primary security risk of this configuration?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It removes the password requirement for sudo, weakening authentication for privileged access
The '!authenticate' directive in the sudoers file removes the password requirement for members of the admin group when executing sudo commands. This weakens authentication for privileged access, making it the primary security risk. Option A is incorrect because the configuration only affects the admin group, not all users. Option B is incorrect because the configuration does not enable logging; rather it disables authentication. Option D, while factually describing the configuration, does not directly address the primary security risk of weakened authentication; the core issue is the removal of password verification, which is exactly what option C states.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It enables privilege escalation for all users on the system
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The configuration only applies to members of the admin group, not all users.
- ✗
It logs all commands run by admin users, creating a privacy risk
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The configuration does not enable logging; it removes password authentication.
- ✓
It removes the password requirement for sudo, weakening authentication for privileged access
Why this is correct
Correct: The '!authenticate' tag removes the need to enter a password when using sudo for members of the admin group, weakening authentication.
- ✗
It allows any user in the admin group to run commands as any user without a password
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The configuration does not allow running commands as any user; it only removes password verification for the user's own sudo commands.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
Key term
Privileged access
Privileged access is a special level of permission that allows a user or system to perform high-impact actions like installing software, changing system settings, or accessing sensitive data across an IT environment.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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